We've Got Casting Picks for HBO's The Last of Us Series - The Mary Sue

HBO Programming executive VP Francesca Orsi said, “Craig and Neil are visionaries in a league of their own, … With them at the helm alongside the incomparable Carolyn Strauss, this series is sure to resonate with both die-hard fans of The Last of Us games and newcomers to this genre-defining saga.

We’re delighted to partner with Naughty Dog, Word Games, Sony and PlayStation to adapt this epic, powerfully immersive story.”.

Fans of the video game will be relieved at Druckmann’s involvement, which lends an authenticity to the series.

Now that the series has the greenlight, all eyes turn to casting the protagonists Joel and Ellie.

The series follows Joel, a traumatized and hardened survivor, who is tasked with smuggling Ellie, a 14 year old girl, through a dystopian landscape ravaged by hordes of zombies called the Infected.

While Joel and Ellie come across various characters and struggles in their journey, their relationship is the emotional cornerstone of the series.

Thanks to his strong resemblance to the character, Coster-Waldau has been a popular pick for Joel since the game first debuted.

The Danish actor, best known for playing Jaime Lannister on Game of Thrones, has the rugged good looks and gravitas to play Joel.

Fimmel, who has starred in Vikings and Raised by Wolves, also bears a strong resemblance to the Joel of the games.

It’s unclear whether Ellie will be aged up for the series, which opens up casting options to established young actresses, or if the showrunners will go instead with an unknown actress.

The Booksmart star has long been a fan favorite to play the role!

Keen currently stars in the HBO fantasy series, His Dark Materials, and the British-Spanish actress broke through with kinetic performance as Laura in Logan alongside Hugh Jackman (another fan favorite for Joel).